WARREN — Trumbull County Commissioners Denny Malloy and Mauro Cantalamessa went into executive session approximately 44 minutes into the commissioners regular meeting Wednesday to discuss an open records lawsuit filed against them by fellow Commissioner Niki Frenchko.

Cantalamessa noted the executive session was needed to allow Malloy and himself time to talk to their lawyer about pending litigation. Frenchko questioned whether the discussion had to do with issues involving interim clerk Lisa Blair.

“No,” Malloy said. “That was a separate issue.”

Prior to the executive session, Frenchko read into the meeting record a statement in reference to the deposition hearing that occurred on Friday.

“Mauro and Denny had a duty to be prepared to testify on noticed topics,” she said. “And, in complete disregard to the court, they scoffed at the court’s power and willfully disregarded their duties under the law. It is a consistent pattern for their conduct.They showed up to the meeting completely unprepared.”

Malloy said Frenchko was completely wrong, and said he and Cantalamessa they were prepared for the meeting. Cantalamessa added that everything she said is her opinion.

“You’ve been censured,” Cantalamessa said.

Malloy said the meeting they attended was a legal procedure and they were told that they would be held in contempt if they discussed anything that happened there. Frenchko noted the deposition hearing took place last week in connection with a Sunshine Law lawsuit she filed against the two commissioners.

“It was irresponsible to taxpayers,” she said.

“That’s your opinion,” Cantalamessa retorted.

Cantalamessa and Malloy were in executive session for approximately 40 minutes.

In other action, commissioners:

•   Authorized the transfer of William Court, a plant maintenance worker at the Trumbull County Sanitary Engineer’s Department, to become a maintenance repair worker, at his current pay of $23.68 per hour.

•  Approved the promotion of Ashley Dorsey as a training officer with the Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services at the pay rate of $23.96 per hour with full benefits.

•   Allowed Nick Coggins of the Trumbull County Planning Department to pay invoices to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for work to be done by Lake & Pond Management over the next three years for the company’s effort to stop the spread of hydrilla in Mosquito Lake. Earlier this year, the commissioners approved providing $300,000 over the next three years to stop the spread of the invasive plant.

•   Approved allowing the Senior Services Advisory Council and Diane Siskowic-Jurkovic, senior levy administrator, to award two-year contracts to Direction Home of Eastern Ohio Inc. for its Protective Services Ombudsman Program at $60,000 per year and to Guardianship and Protective Services Inc. at $210,000 per year. These in-home services will be conducted by Country Neighbor Program Inc., Mirkin & Associates Inc., also known as Comfort Keepers, CareBuilders & Home LLC and the Antonine Sister Adult Day Care Inc. The contract also will provide in-home services through the Homemaker / Personal Care / Chore and adult day services for $1.6 million over the two-year period. The county will pay Country Neighbor Program Inc., Youngstown Area Jewish Federation and Trumbull Mobile Meals Inc $1.4 million for home delivered meal programs over the two-year period.

•   Approved providing $12,920 for end-of-life batteries for the Trumbull County Jail’s Security Camera System, which was damaged in a traffic accident.

•   Approved allowing the Mathews Local School District to pay the county sheriff’s office $63,578 for a school resource officer.

•   Awarded Pollard Land Services Inc. a contract for the construction of the Scoville Drive Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project for $634,330. The construction project will be paid through a $350,000 Trumbull County American Rescue Plan award, a $101,195 ARP grant for countywide household connections and a $357,400 Ohio Environmental Protection Agency / Water Pollution Control zero interest loan.

•   Approved allowing Vernon Township to use up to $408,069 in ARP funds to pay for improvements on Bushnell Campbell Road between state Route 88 and state Route 5.

•   Approved providing the Downtown Leavittsburg Improvement Association $63,700.

•   Approved the promotion of Sheri Foor to an eligibility referral supervisor with the Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services at a pay rate of $26.59 per hour.